Meridian, Mississippi

Early history Previously inhabited by the Choctaw Native Americans, the area now called Meridian was obtained by the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 during the period of Indian removal. After the treaty was ratified, European-American settlers began to move into the area. After receiving a federal land grant of about , Richard McLemore, the first settler of Meridian, Most of McLemore's land was bought in 1853 by Lewis A. Ragsdale, a lawyer from Alabama. John T. Ball, a merchant from Kemper County, bought the remaining . Ragsdale and Ball, now known as the founders of the city, began laying out lots for new development on their respective land sections. Ball erected a station house on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad – the sign on which would alternate between "Meridian" and "Sowashee" each day. Eventually the continued development of the railroads led to an influx of railroad workers who overruled the others in the city and left "Meridian" on the station permanently. his forces burned many of the buildings to the ground. Despite the destruction, workers rapidly repaired the railroad lines and they were back in operation 26 working days after the battle. the Wechsler School in 1894, two Carnegie libraries in 1913, and the Threefoot Building, Meridian's tallest skyscraper, in 1929. in the early 1900s The city continued to grow thanks to a commission government's efforts to bring in 90 new industrial plants in 1913 and a booming automobile industry in the 1920s. Even through the stock market crash of 1929 and the following Great Depression, the city continued to attract new businesses. With escapism becoming popular in the culture during the depth of the Depression, the S. H. Kress & Co. building, built to "provide luxury to the common man," opened in downtown Meridian, as did the Temple Theater, which was first used as a movie house. Whites in the area resented the activism, and physically attacked civil rights workers. In June 1964, Chaney, Schwerner, and Goodman went to Neshoba County, Mississippi, to meet with members of a black church that had been bombed and burned. The three disappeared that night on their way back to Meridian. This was the first time that a white jury had convicted "a white official in a civil rights killing." In 2005, the state brought charges in the case for the first time. Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 60 years in prison. Meridian later honored Chaney by renaming a portion of 49th Avenue after him and holding an annual memorial service. Modern history Starting in the 1960s and following the construction of highways that made commuting easier, residents began to move away from downtown in favor of new housing subdivisions to the north. After strip commercial interests began to move downtown, the city worked to designate several areas as historic districts in the 1970s and 80s to preserve the architectural character of the city. Meridian Main Street, along with The Riley Foundation, helped renovate and adapt the historic Grand Opera House in 2006 for use as the "Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and the Performing Arts." After ownership of the Meridian Main Street was transferred to the Alliance for Downtown Meridian in late 2007, the two organizations, along with the Meridian Downtown Association, spearheaded the downtown revitalization effort. The Alliance serves as an umbrella organization, allowing the other two organizations to use its support staff and housing, and in turn the Alliance serves as a liaison between the organizations. Today, the Alliance helps to promote further development and restoration downtown; its goal is to assist businesses such as specialty shops, restaurants, and bars because these help downtown become more active during the day and at night. The Meridian Downtown Association is primarily focused on increasing foot traffic downtown by organizing special events, and the Meridian Main Street program supports existing businesses downtown. With the growth of the railroads and the construction of the original Union Station in 1906, many hotels were constructed for passengers and workers. and the Terminal Hotel was constructed in 1910. Hotel Meridian was constructed in 1907, and Union Hotel was built in 1908. The E.F. Young Hotel was built in 1931. A staple in the African-American business district that developed west of the city's core, the hotel was one of the only places in the city during the years of segregation where a traveling African American could find a room. The Threefoot Building has been proposed for redevelopment for this purpose, but restoration efforts stalled with a change in city administrations. The Threefoot Preservation Society was formed in 2013 to raise public awareness and support for the building's renovation, featuring tours of the first floor and anniversary events. Historic districts Meridian has nine historic districts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Meridian Downtown Historic District is a combination of two older districts, the Meridian Urban Center Historic District and the Union Station Historic District. Many architectural styles are present in the districts, most from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Italianate, Art Deco, Late Victorian, and bungalow. The districts are: East End Historic District – roughly bounded by 18th St, 11th Ave, 14th St, 14th Ave, 5th St, and 17th Ave. Highlands Historic District – roughly bounded by 15th St, 34th Ave, 19th St, and 36th Ave. Meridian Downtown Historic District – runs from the former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad north to 6th St between 18th and 26th Ave, excluding Ragsdale Survey Block 71. : Meridian Urban Center Historic District – roughly bounded by 21st and 25th Aves, 6th St, and the railroad. : Union Station Historic District – roughly bounded by 18th and 19th Aves, 5th St, and the railroad. Merrehope Historic District – roughly bounded by 33rd Ave, 30th Ave, 14th St, and 8th St. Mid-Town Historic District – roughly bounded by 23rd Ave, 15th St, 28th Ave, and 22nd St. Poplar Springs Road Historic District – roughly bounded by 29th St, 23rd Ave, 22nd St, and 29th Ave. West End Historic District – roughly bounded by 7th St, 28th Ave, Shearer's Branch, and 5th St. ==Geography==

Meridian is located in the East Central Hills region of Mississippi in Lauderdale County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.40%, are water. Along major highways, the city is east of Jackson, Mississippi; west of Birmingham, Alabama; northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana; southeast of Memphis, Tennessee; and west of Atlanta, Georgia. The area surrounding the city is covered with oak and pine forests, and its topography consists of clay hills and the bottom lands of the head waters of the Chickasawhay River. Much rainfall is delivered by thunderstorms which are common during the summer months but occur throughout the year. Severe thunderstorms – which can produce damaging winds and/or large hail in addition to the usual hazards of lightning and heavy rain – occasionally occur. These are most common during the spring months with a secondary peak during the fall months. These storms also bring the risk of tornadoes. {{Weather box ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 35,052 people, 14,844 households, and 9,285 families residing in the city. The median age was 36.9 years; 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The city's growth has reflected the push and pull of many social and economic factors. The total population increased in each census from the city's founding until 1970, although varying from rates as high as 165% to as low as 0.2%. In the 1970 census the population decreased, then slightly increased by 1980, after which the population slowly declined, increasing again since the turn of the 21st century. Between 1980 and 2000, the population declined more than 14%. 2008 estimate In 2008, the city was the sixth largest in the state. 2010 census While the overall population growth of the city has varied, there has been a steady growth in the number and percentage of non-white residents. The only decline in this group was between 1960 and 1970, when the city's overall population declined markedly. In the 2010 Census, the racial makeup of the city was 61.55% African American, 35.71% White, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 2000 census As of the 2000 census, the city's population was 39,968, and the population density was . There is a population of 232,900 in a radius and 526,500 in a radius. Of the affiliated in 2000, 30,068 (59.0%) were in the Southern Baptist Convention, 9,469 (18.6%) were with the United Methodist Church, and 1,872 (3.7%) were associated with the Catholic Church. Immigrant Jews from Germany and eastern Europe were influential in commercial development of the city, building businesses and services. Congregation Beth Israel was founded in 1868, just before the city's "Golden Age." Meridian once had the largest Jewish community in the state, with 575 Jewish people living in the city in 1927. Romani people also call Meridian home, including Kelly Mitchell, Queen of the Gipsy Nation, from whom the city may have derived the nickname "Queen City". ==Economy==

Early on, the economy depended greatly upon the railroads in the area. The city was the largest in Mississippi around the start of the 20th century, with five major rail lines and 44 trains coming in and out daily. The city's economy not only depended on the rails but the goods, such as timber and cotton, transported on them. With these rail-based industries, the city was a great economic power in the state and region from about 1890 through 1930. While as of April 2010, the city's civilian labor force was only 15,420 people, there is a population of 232,900 in a radius and 526,500 in a radius, of which 104,600 and 234,200 people respectively are in the labor force. Eighty percent of Lauderdale County's workers reside in the county while 90% live within 45 miles. In June 2021, Rush Foundation Hospital and its associated Rush Health Systems clinics were acquired by Ochsner Health Systems of New Orleans. Ochsner Rush Health continues to operate the Ochsner Specialty Hospital of Meridian, which offers long-term care for non-permanent patients who require more recovery time in a hospital setting. Other healthcare facilities in Meridian include the Alliance Health Center and East Mississippi State Hospital, the latter of which has been in operation since 1882. Retail is another major employer in the county, with 5,280 people employed in April 2010. The Uptown Meridian offers over one hundred shopping venues, including department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, eateries, and United Artists Theatres. The area is also served by two military facilities, Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field, which supply over 4,000 jobs to residents of the surrounding area. NAS Meridian provides training for naval carrier pilots and other enlisted personnel. Also housed at the base is the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy (RCTA), which provides narcotics training for law enforcement in many southeastern states. Containing the first local Department of Homeland Security in the state, the city is the leader in a nine county regional response team and a twenty-nine county regional response task force. Key Field is now home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard and a support facility for the 185th Aviation Brigade of the Army National Guard. The site also contains an exhibit reviewing the history of aviation, and is the home of Meridian's Aviation Museum. The Riley Center attracts more than 60,000 visitors to downtown Meridian annually for conferences, meetings, and performances. Loeb's Department Store on Front St has remained a Mississippi clothing landmark, having passed through four generations of family ownership. The store has been selling fine men's and women's clothing since 1887, when the store was first opened by Alex Loeb. ==Culture==

One of the first art organizations in the city, The Meridian Art League, was established in February 1933. Art exhibitions were originally held in Lamar Hotel in downtown Meridian, but after a name change to Meridian Art Association in 1949, exhibitions were held at various locations around the city. After the Carnegie library at 25th Ave and 7th St was closed, the Art Association remodeled the building into the Meridian Museum of Art to serve as a permanent home for exhibits. The museum was opened in 1970 and has since featured rotating exhibitions as well as many educational programs for both students and adults. Over thirty exhibitions are held annually, ranging from traditional decorative arts to ethnographic and tribal materials, photography, crafts, and many other works of art. The collection also includes 18th and 19th century portraits, 20th century photography, and several sculptures. The Meridian Council for the Arts (MCA) was founded as Meridian's and Lauderdale County's official arts agency in 1978. MCA operates its Community Art Grants program, the annual Threefoot Festival, several workshops, and other special events each year. MCA is partnered with many arts organizations in the city and county including the Meridian Museum of Art, the Meridian Little Theatre, and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. Meridian Little Theatre, one of the South's oldest subscription-based community theatres, was built in 1932 and currently provides entertainment to residents of and visitors to Meridian and Lauderdale County, entertaining over 22,000 guests each season, making it Mississippi's most-attended community theatre. The Meridian Symphony Orchestra (MSO) – founded in 1961 – played its first concert in 1962 and its first full season in 1963. In 1965 the MSO booked its first international soloist, Elena Nikolaidi, to perform with the orchestra. The Orchestra helped the Meridian Public School District develop its own orchestra and strings programs and also helped develop the Meridian Symphony Chorus. The current conductor is Dr. Claire Fox Hillard, who has been with the orchestra since 1991. The MSO celebrated its 50th anniversary in February 2011 with a performance from Itzhak Perlman. , renovated in 2006 The city's former Grand Opera House was built in 1889 by two half brothers, Israel Marks and Levi Rothenberg. During its operation the opera house hosted many famous artists and works, the first being a German company's rendition of Johann Strauss II's "The Gypsy Baron". After closing in the late 1920s due to the Great Depression, the opera house was abandoned for nearly 70 years. A $10 million grant in 2000 by the Riley Foundation, a local foundation chartered in 1998, sparked the building's restoration while $15 million came from a combination of city, county, and federal grants. attracts more than 60,000 visitors to downtown Meridian annually for conferences, meetings, and performances. and in 2006 promised $4 million in funding if private contributors could raise $8 million. The city donated $50,000 to the cause in September 2007. In February 2009, the MAEC revealed its Hollywood-style Walk of Fame outside of the Riley Center in an attempt to promote the planned Hall of Fame. The first star on the walk was dedicated to Jimmie Rodgers, a Meridian native. In September of the same year, the second star was revealed, recognizing B.B. King, a famous blues musician from Mississippi. On June 1, 2010, authors Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty, and William Faulkner were added to the walk. Sela Ward was added to the walk on June 24, 2010. The MAEEX opened on April 27, 2018 on the site of the former Montana's restaurant and the adjacent Meridian Hotel; the properties were acquired in July 2010 for $300,000. The Mississippi Hall of Fame, housed within The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, was established to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts and entertainment industry. The inaugural class of inductees was announced in January 2017 at the Mississippi Capitol Rotunda, recognizing 18 influential figures: Walter Inglis Anderson, William Faulkner, Morgan Freeman, John Grisham, Jim Henson, Robert Johnson, James Earl Jones, B.B. King, George Ohr, Elvis Presley, Leontyne Price, Jimmie Rodgers, Sela Ward, Muddy Waters, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, Oprah Winfrey, and Richard Wright. With seating for 1800 persons, the silent movie era was a prosperous time for the Temple. At the time, it was one of the largest stages in the United States, second only to the Roxy Theater in New York City. Today, seating 1576 persons, the Temple is used year-round for area events, live stage shows, plays, concerts, Hamasa Shrine functions, and public screenings of classic movies. Highland Park houses a Jimmie Rodgers museum which displays the original guitar of "The Singing Brakeman" and other memorabilia of his life and career, as well as railroad equipment from the steam-engine era. In addition to the museum building itself, there are outside memorials, and a vintage steam locomotive on display. A Mississippi Blues Trail historic marker has been placed in Meridian to honor the city as the birthplace of Jimmie Rodgers and emphasizes his importance to the development of the blues style of music in Mississippi. The city was the first site to receive this designation outside the Mississippi Delta. Also, a Mississippi Country Music Trail marker was placed in Oak Grove Cemetery in honor of Rodgers on June 1, 2010. Each year since 1953, the city has held a festival during May to honor the anniversary of his death. The park is home to a 19th-century carousel manufactured around 1895 by Gustav Dentzel of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Highland Park Dentzel Carousel has been in operation since 1909, is a National Historic Landmark, and is the world's only two-row stationary Dentzel menagerie in existence. Its house is the only remaining original carousel building built from a Dentzel blueprint. Around Town Carousels Abound is a public arts project of 62 carousel horses, representing the historic carousel. Sixty-two pieces have been sponsored by local businesses and citizens, and design of the horses was conceived and painted by local artists. They are placed throughout the city and county. Recreation The city contains several recreational parks, including Highland Park, Bonita Lakes, and Okatibbee Lake. Highland Park contains picnic shelters, swimming pools, tennis courts, a baseball field, softball fields, and a playground, all open year-round to visitors. Okatibbee Lake is a establishment containing a lake which offers boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, picnicking, hunting, hiking and camping. Splashdown Country Water Park, a 25-room motel, and cabins are located on the lake. The organization is a member of the National Congress of State Games, which is affiliated with the U.S. Olympic Committee. In its first year 1,200 athletes competed in twelve sports, and since then over 70,000 athletes have participated in the Games. In 2009, more than 4500 athletes participated in 27 sports. Opening ceremonies always begin on the third Friday in June in downtown Meridian. The Sammie Davidson Sports Complex includes six tennis courts, four softball fields, and a half-mile track. Other sports fields include the Meridian Jaycee Soccer Complex, Sykes Park, and Phil Hardin Park. There are several golf courses in the city, including the aforementioned Lakeview Municipal Golf Course, an 18-hole course open to the public daily. Briarwood County Club, located on Highway 39 North, is a private club with golf, swimming, fishing, and dining facilities. Other golf courses serving the city include Northwood Country Club, Okatibbee Creek Golf Center, and Ponta Creek Golf Course. ==Government and infrastructure==

after restoration efforts Meridian has operated under the mayor-council or "strong mayor" form of government since 1985. A mayor is elected every four years by the population at-large. The five members of the city council are elected every four years from each of the city's five wards, considered single-member districts. The mayor, the chief executive officer of the city, is responsible for administering and leading the day-to-day operations of city government. The city council is the legislative arm of the government, setting policy and annually adopting the city's operating budget. City Hall, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The city now serves as the leader of one of the task forces in the Mississippi DHS, a combination of three nine-county teams. Headed by police chief Lee Shelbourn since 2009, the Meridian Police Department consists of 115 full-time officers as well as part-time and reserve staff available. In 2009, the department's Criminal Investigations Division responded to 4000 cases, 2000 of which were felonies. The East Mississippi Correctional Facility is located in unincorporated Lauderdale County, near Meridian. It is operated by the GEO Group on behalf of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The chief of the Meridian Fire Department is Anthony Clayton. The fire department responded to more than 1600 calls in 2009, including 123 structural fires and 609 emergency service calls. The United States Postal Service operates the Meridian, North Meridian, and the West Meridian Station post offices. In state politics, the Mississippi Senate district map divides the city into three sections. The northern tip of the city is in the 31st State Senate District and seats Terry Clark Burton (Republican party). A strip of the city from the southwest corner up to the northeast corner comprises part of the 32nd State Senate District and seats Sampson Jackson II (Democratic party). The western and southeastern portions of the city lie in the 33rd State Senate District and seats Videt Carmichael (Republican party). In the Mississippi House of Representatives districts, the city is divided into four districts. The southern and eastern portions of the city reside in House District 81 and are represented by Steven A. Horne (Republican party). The city's core makes up the entirety of House District 82 and is represented by Wilbert L. Jones (Democratic party). Surrounding House District 82 is House District 83, represented by Greg Snowden (Republican party). The western section of the city, along with a small section in the north, lie in House District 84 and are represented by Tad Campbell (Republican party). On the national level, the city is located in Mississippi's 3rd congressional district, represented by Michael Guest (Republican party), who has been in office since 2019. Lauderdale County, home to Meridian, has voted for the Republican candidate in every United States presidential election since 1972. Before the shift to the Republican Party, white area voters supported Democratic Party candidates, as for decades since the late 19th century, it was a one-party state. ==Transportation==

Railroads and public transit Amtrak's Crescent train connects Meridian with the cities of New York, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; and New Orleans, Louisiana. The Union Station Multi-Modal Transportation Center (MMTC) is located at 1901 Front Street, part of the Meridian Downtown Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built in 1906, but later demolished in 1966 then rebuilt in 1997, the station includes several modes of transportation including Amtrak, Norfolk Southern rail corridor, Greyhound buses, Trailways and other providers of transit services. The number of passengers on Amtrak trains, Greyhound buses, and Meridian Transit System buses averages 242,360 per year in 2007. The Meridian Transit System ceased operations in 2012 due to lack of funding support for local match by the mayoral administration. Air The city is served by Meridian Regional Airport, located at Key Field, 2811 Airport Boulevard South, southwest of the city. At , the airport's runway is the longest public runway in Mississippi. The airport, which has been in service since 1930, offers daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth. During the Great Depression, residents of the city contemplated abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance, but in 1935 Brothers Fred and Al Key, managers of the airport, thought of a way to keep the airport operating. From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over the city in their plane, the "Ole Miss." The record they established in their 27 days aloft, totaling 653 hours and 34 minutes, attracted enough publicity and funds to the city to keep the airport running. Key Field is therefore named after the brothers, whose flight endurance record remains unbroken in conventional flight. Highways ;Interstate highways Interstate 20 Runs west through Jackson, Mississippi, eventually terminating near Kent, Texas, and east through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, eventually terminating in Florence, South Carolina. Interstate 59 Joins with I-20 in the city and runs north through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, ending in Wildwood, Georgia. It also runs south through Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and on to Slidell, Louisiana. ;U.S. highways U.S. Highway 11 Runs parallel to Interstate 59 south to New Orleans, Louisiana, and north all the way to the Canada–U.S. border at Rouses Point, New York. U.S. Highway 45 Transnational route which runs north through Columbus, Mississippi, to the U.S.-Canada border and south through Quitman, Mississippi, to Mobile, Alabama, and the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Highway 80 Runs west through Jackson, Mississippi, to Dallas, Texas, and east through Demopolis, Alabama, all the way to Tybee Island, Georgia and the Atlantic Ocean. ;State highways Mississippi Highway 19 Runs north to West, Mississippi, and south to the Mississippi-Alabama border, where it continues as Alabama State Route 10. Mississippi Highway 39 Begins in Meridian and runs north to Shuqualak, Mississippi. Mississippi Highway 145 Formerly US 45, but now only exists as an alternate route in several cities. Mississippi Highway 493 Begins in Meridian and runs north to Lynville, Mississippi. ==Education==

has served the city since 1937 Early public education in Meridian was based on the 1870 Mississippi Constitution. From 1870 to 1885, trustees appointed by the City Council served on the Board of School Directors, which had authority to operate the schools. Although there were several schools in the city before 1884, they were privately owned and only enrolled about 400 students. The city did not build its first publicly owned school until September 1884. The first public school for blacks in the city was held in facilities rented from St. Paul Methodist Church. The Mississippi Legislature amended the city charter in January 1888 to allow the city to maintain its own municipal school district, and in March of the same year $30,000 in bonds was approved for the city to build new public schools. three middle schools, and three high schools. The city also contains several private schools, including Lamar School, Community Christian School, and St. Patrick's Catholic School. The campus of Meridian High School, the main high school in the district, occupies , including six buildings and 111 classrooms. The school is made up of grades 9–12 and enrolls approximately 1,500 students. Meridian is home to two post-secondary educational institutions. Meridian Community College, founded in 1937, is located at 910 Highway 19 N and offers free tuition for four semesters to graduates from the Meridian Public and Lauderdale County School Districts as well as homeschooled children who reside inside Lauderdale County. Originally known as Meridian Junior College and located at Meridian High School, the college moved to its present location in 1965. After desegregation laws were passed, MJC merged with T.J. Harris Junior College in 1970, which had previously enrolled African-American students. The name change from Meridian Junior College to Meridian Community College took place in 1987 "to more accurately reflect the diversity of opportunities it provides for a growing community area." Mississippi State University also operates a campus in the city. As of the Fall 2008 semester, 763 students from 33 counties throughout the state and several in Alabama attended the college. Meridian is served by the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library, located at the corner of 7th Street and 26th Avenue. The city originally had two Carnegie libraries, both built in 1913 – one for blacks and one for whites. A group of women had formed the Fortnightly Book and Magazine Club in the 1880s and began raising money to build a library for the city. The books they collected and shared within the club were later the basis of the library collection for Meridian. With wide support for the library, the club enlisted Israel Marks, a city leader, to approach the national philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for funding assistance. The library for blacks was built at 13th Street and 28th Avenue on land donated by St. Paul Methodist Church, and the library for whites was established in a building originally owned by members of the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian, who sold it to the city on September 25, 1911. The African American library was the only library for blacks in the state until after World War I and is the only Carnegie library ever built for African Americans in the country. The two libraries served the city until 1967, when the institutions became integrated because of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, combined their collections, and moved all materials to their current location. ==Media==

'' The only daily newspaper printed in the city is The Meridian Star, which has been in operation since 1898. The paper was originally named The Evening Star but was renamed in 1915 and has been Meridian's only daily newspaper since 1921. With a daily circulation of about 12,000 in March 2010, the paper serves Lauderdale County as well as adjacent portions of western Alabama and eastern Mississippi. Although the Meridian Star is now the only newspaper printed in the city, there have been a few other historical newspapers. One such paper is the Memo Digest, a ten to twenty page publication published during the 1970s. The Digest focused on issues relevant to the African-American population of the region, gathering a circulation of about 5,000 people. Other newspapers in the city have included The Colored Messenger, The State, The Weekly Mercury, The Blade, Weekly Echo, Fair Play, Headlight, Meridian Morning Sun, Teacher and Preacher, and Clarion. WTOK-TV broadcasts as an ABC affiliate from the city, headquartered at 815 23rd Avenue. WTOK operates two digital subchannels, WTOK-DT2, a MyNetworkTV affiliate, and WTOK-DT3, Meridian's CW. WMDN-TV is the market's CBS affiliate. WGBC-TV is the affiliate network carrying both FOX (WGBC-DT1) and NBC (WGBC-DT2) programming. Both stations share studios and transmitter facilities on Crestview Circle in unincorporated Lauderdale County, south of Meridian. Together, WGBC and WMDN are known as "The Meridian Family of Stations." WMAW-TV is the local affiliate of Mississippi Public Broadcasting. The city is also the principal city in the Meridian Arbitron Radio Market, which includes 64,500 people over the age of 12. WUCL (FM 105.7), headquartered at 3436 Highway 45 North, takes the largest share of ratings in the market at 14.8% in Fall 2009. In the same period, WZKS (FM 104.1) was second with 11.1%, and WMOX (AM 1010) was third with 7.4%. Other popular stations in the market include WKZB (FM 97.9), WOKK (FM 97.1), WEXR (FM 106.9), WYHL (AM 1450), and WJXM (FM 95.1). Mississippi Public Broadcasting can be found on WMAW-FM (FM 88.1). ==Notable people==

• John Luther Adams, composer; although more associated with Alaska, he was born in Meridian • Susan Akin, who won the Miss America beauty pageant in 1986 • John Alexander, opera singer • Moe Bandy, country music singer • John Besh, New Orleans cuisine chef, TV personality, philanthropist, restaurateur and author • Big K.R.I.T., musician • Dennis Ray "Oil Can" Boyd, former Major League Baseball pitcher • Gil Carmichael, Meridian businessman, transportation specialist, and politician, was the Republican nominee for the Mississippi Senate in 1966 and 1967, U.S. Senate in 1972, governor in 1975 and 1979, and lieutenant governor in 1983 • Brad Carter, engineer, Mississippi state senator (1996–2000), owner of WMER • James Chaney, one of the victims in the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in 1964 • Alvin Childress, actor, played the lead role on the ''Amos 'n' Andy Show'' • Austin Davis, NFL player • Paul Davis, singer-songwriter best known for the late 1970s and early 1980s pop hits "I Go Crazy" and "'65 Love Affair", was born in Meridian in 1948; after retiring, he returned to the city where he remained until his death in 2008 • Winfield Dunn, former Governor of Tennessee, lived in Meridian • Cordera Eason, NFL player • Lemuel L. Foster (1891–1981), civil servant, community leader; born in Meridian • John Fleming, U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 4th congressional district 2009–2017, was born and raised in Meridian • Fred and Al Key, known as "The Flying Keys" – holders of the world flight endurance record – are Meridian natives. Al Key is also a former mayor of the city. • Steve Forbert, folk singer best known for "Romeo's Tune" • Thomas F. Frist Sr., physician, businessman and co-founder of HCA Healthcare. • Paul Hardy, Negro leagues catcher • Ty Herndon, country music singer • Rodney Hood, professional basketball player • Pooley Hubert, college football player and coach • Leroy Jones, former professional boxer • Gregory Keyes, science fiction and fantasy writer • Diane Ladd, actress, actually born in Laurel, but raised in Meridian, where her parents resided • Lilian Lewis, zoologist. • Alex M. Loeb, artist • Derrick McKey, NBA player • Eric McNair, former Major League Baseball player • Scott McQuaig, country singer and recording artist • Kelly Mitchell, Queen of the Gypsy Nation • Montez Murphy, former NFL defensive tackle • Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Electronics, which is headquartered in Meridian • Fred Phelps (1929–2014), leader of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, a recognized hate group • Robert Pious (1908–1983), American painter and illustrator • Jay Powell, pitcher • Max Raisin (1881–1957), rabbi • David Charles Richardson, commander and vice admiral in the United States Navy • Jamal Roberts, winner of American Idol season 23 • Jimmie Rodgers, the "Father of Country Music", was born in the city in 1897. The Jimmie Rodgers Museum is located in Meridian, and the Jimmie Rodgers Festival has been an annual Meridian event since 1953. • David Ruffin, former lead singer of The Temptations, and his older brother Jimmy Ruffin were born in the surrounding area, Whynot and Collinsville, respectively. • Julian Rush (1936–2023), clergyman, playwright, and non-profit administrator • Joe Stringfellow, NFL player • Tom Stuart, politician, from 1973 to 1977 was the first Republican to serve as mayor of Meridian in the 20th century • Joni Taylor, Texas A&M Aggies women's basketball coach • Todd Tilghman, singer and lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Meridian. A winner of 18th season of The Voice. • Mary Oneida Toups, occultist known as the "Witch Queen of New Orleans" • Alejandro Villanueva, NFL player • Kenyatta Walker, All-American collegiate football player; Super Bowl XXXVII champion as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers • Lillian W. Walker, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for East Baton Rouge Parish from 1964 to 1972 • Sela Ward, actress • Brad Watson, writer • James Wheaton, actor and director • Hayley Williams, lead singer of the band Paramore • Al Wilson, singer • George Wilson – former NBA center (1964–1971) • John Louis Wilson Jr. (1898–1989), American architect • Charles Young Jr., business executive and current member of the Mississippi House of Representatives • Charles L. Young Sr., business executive and former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives ==In popular culture==

Non-fiction In South and West: From a Notebook, Joan Didion recounts that she met a man while visiting Meridian in the 1970s who told her "The KKK which used to be a major factor in this community isn't a factor anymore, both the membership and the influence have diminished, and I cannot think of any place where the black is denied entrance, with the possible exception of private clubs." Fictional characters Cullen Bohannon, the protagonist of the AMC series Hell on Wheels, hails from Meridian, Mississippi, where he is a tobacco farmer and later a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. In the movie X-Men, the character Rogue hails from Meridian, Mississippi, and a small portion of the movie takes place there. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one of the characters, Dill Harris, is from Meridian. ==References==